Monday, April 16, 2012

Book Nook - Extra Yarn

Extra Yarn, written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen:

Good news, good news: our computer is back up! I hope to put up lots of posts of all the fun stuff we've been doing over the last few weeks - we've been very busy. It's good to be connected again - I was starting to go crazy!

When I was at our local library the other day, I happened to come across this book in the children's "new" section. A book called Extra Yarn? Yes, please!

It's a sweet story about a little girl named Annabelle who finds a "box filled with yarn of every color." Being a true knitter at heart, she knits sweaters for everyone she knows (including jealous Nate and his dog, her parents, her doctor, and her entire class. And a bear). Magically, she always has extra yarn, so she does what any knitter would logically do: turn to "yarn bombing." She knits sweaters for all the buildings in town. Pretty soon, the little drab town begins to brighten up with all the yarn loveliness. What will Annabelle do when an archduke sails to her little town to offer her lots and lots of money for her box of yarn? We find out what makes Annabelle truly happy in the story's happy conclusion.

Sometimes, I like to look at a picture book and think about how it would be if a different illustrator did the pictures. In the case of Extra Yarn, I simply cannot picture the book any other way than what it is. I think that's a sign of a good pairing up between author and illustrator. Jon Klassen's illustrations are just perfect throughout, and I love that the yarn provides the only color in the story (well, there's some subtlety in the black and grays and browns, but you know what I mean). I'd be very interested to see their separate books - I think it would help me appreciate this collaboration even more.

After I read this book to the Bachsters, our 8-year-old took it back to her room so that she could read it again by herself. You don't have to be a knitter to appreciate this book. But if you are, it will motivate you to pick up your needles and knit something - just because it makes you happy.